I ate my way through the new international food hall near Charlotte. Here’s an inside look.
Charlotte has been growing into a food hall hot spot and a new international one has joined the lineup of dining destinations: Alley 51, tucked inside the Super G Mart in Pineville.
Like Optimist Hall, The Market at 7th Street, Camp North End and other similar concepts, the beauty of food halls is that the food options are endless. But Alley 51 is a “culinary crossroads” inspired by Asian street food, with nearly a dozen vendors serving classic bites from Vietnam, Korea, the Phillipines and more, including:
“This food hall has been in the making for quite some time,” Peter Han, vice president of business development for Super G Mart, told CharlotteFive. “It’s inspired by the different streets and food alleys of Asia … and combined with the locality of the Pineville-Matthews Road — which is Highway 51. That’s kind of how Alley 51 came to be, and our goal is to try to bring authentic international flavors at the convenience of your locality.”
We visited Super G recently for an inside look at the new food hall. Here’s what to expect:
GOOD VIBES: Nestled in a separate area beside the beer, wine and houseware aisles, it feels like Alley 51 is Super G’s own secret hangout spot. As soon as you enter, it’s easy to forget you’re even in a corner of a grocery store at all with the upbeat music, colorful arcade rooms, kids’ zone, outdoor patio and, of course, the many, many food options.
“From all my travels, I saw that Charlotte’s a great city. It’s up and coming. It’s a beautiful, clean city, but it was lacking a little bit of authenticity and a little bit of culture, specifically for the Asians. So I wanted to create an environment where people felt comfortable to open a business highlighting and showcasing the actual authenticity of their cuisine,” Han explained.
Right now, the food hall is in its soft opening phase, so not all of the vendors are open — but the ones that are open are worth the visit. After making the trip to the food hall on its opening day, here are some of my favorite bites:
Grilled pork banh mi sandwich, Saigon Cafe
When ordering my banh mi from Saigon Cafe, a team member told me that everyone was ordering a banh mi that day — and I fully understand why. I’m a sucker for the traditional Vietnamese sandwich, and this was honestly one of the best I’ve ever had with a thick, buttery baguette and very flavorful pork and toppings.
Lemongrass grilled beef vermicelli bowl, Saigon Cafe
To pair with my banh mi, I also tried the vermicelli bowl from Saigon Cafe — which tastes just as good as it looks. Served on a bed of lettuce, cucumber, pickled cabbage and carrots topped with peanut, fried onion and an egg roll, the dish is packed with a lot of different flavors and is very filling.
Cinnamon crunch croffle, Honey Cow
To keep it short and sweet, Honey Cow’s croffle is a 10/10. A mix between a waffle and a croissant, the croffle was topped with Cinnamon Toast Crunch, Honey Cow whipped cream and a caramel drizzle. If you have a sweet tooth, you’ll love it, and if you don’t, I think this dessert will change your mind.
Matcha tea with boba, Honey Cow
If it’s not water, I’m drinking a matcha, so I was probably most excited to try the matcha tea with boba from Honey Cow – and to no surprise, I loved it. It wasn’t too sweet or too bitter and had the perfect amount of boba at the bottom.
Shrimp dumplings, Honey Buns Cafe II
If you’re a fan of dumplings, Honey Buns Cafe II is your spot to go to at Alley 51. I ordered the shrimp dumplings, which were tinier than I expected but pretty delicious. My only regret was that I didn’t ask for a side of sauce to pair with it — which is just another excuse to go back and order them again.
BBQ pork bun, Honey Buns Cafe II
Aside from its dumplings, Honey Buns Cafe II is also known for its steamed buns, and this location has an expanded menu of more options to choose from. I went with the fan-favorite barbecue pork, which I wish had a little bit more meat inside to pair with the sweet, puffy bun.
Overall, I was highly, highly impressed by Alley 51 — especially considering how busy it was during its first day open to the public — and I can’t wait to go back when even more food vendors are officially open.
Alley 51
Location: Super G Mart, 10500 Centrum Pkwy, Pineville, NC 28134
Instagram: @_alley51_
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This story was originally published May 24, 2024 at 6:00 AM with the headline "I ate my way through the new international food hall near Charlotte. Here’s an inside look.."
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